Moving picture decoding method for decoding a current block in a temporal direct mode

ABSTRACT

A moving picture coding apparatus includes a motion compensation coding unit for deciding a coding mode for coding a current block to be coded and for generating predictive image data based on the coding mode, and includes a direct mode enable/disable judgment unit for judging whether or not scaling processing can be performed when the coding mode decided by the motion compensation coding unit is a temporal direct mode. When it is judged that the scaling processing cannot be performed, the motion compensation coding unit performs motion compensation either by using another coding mode or without the scaling processing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a movie picture coding method, a movingpicture decoding method, a moving picture coding apparatus, a movingpicture decoding apparatus for coding/decoding a moving picture, usingeither a frame structure or a field structure, and a program forexecuting these methods in software.

2. Background of the Related Art

In coding of a moving picture, compression of information of a volume isusually performed by eliminating redundancy both in spatial and temporaldirections of the moving picture. Here, inter-picture prediction codingis employed as a method of eliminating the redundancy in the temporaldirection. The inter-picture prediction coding uses previous picture ora subsequent picture to a current picture to be coded in a display orderas a reference picture when a picture is coded. Then, a motion isestimated using the reference pictures, and the information volume iscompressed by removing the redundancy in the spatial direction for adifferential value between a picture, to which motion compensation isperformed, and the current picture.

In the moving picture coding method called H. 264 which is under theprocess of standardization, a picture for which intra-picture predictioncoding is performed using only a current picture to be coded withoutreference pictures is called I-picture. A picture here means a unit ofcoding including both a frame and a field. A picture for which theinter-picture prediction coding is performed with reference to a singlepicture that is already coded is called P-picture whereas a picture forwhich the inter-picture prediction coding is performed referringsimultaneously to two pictures that are already coded is calledB-picture.

FIG. 1 is a pattern diagram showing a prediction relation of eachpicture in the moving picture coding method mentioned above. Thevertical line in FIG. 1 represents a single picture, and its picturetype (I, P and B) is indicated in the lower right-hand corner of each ofthe pictures. The arrows in the diagram indicate that the inter-pictureprediction coding is performed as follows: the picture located at thestarting edge of the arrow refers to the picture located at the endingedge of the arrow a reference picture. For example, B-picture locatedsecondly from the head is coded using the I-picture located in the headand the P-picture located fourthly from the head as reference pictures.

Under the H. 264 method, a coding mode called direct mode can beselected in the coding of B-pictures. The direct mode provides two typesof methods: a temporal method and a spatial method. In the temporaldirect mode, the current block itself does not have motion vectors andmotion vectors used for the current block are estimated and generated byperforming scaling processing based on a location relation according todisplay time between the pictures, considering the motion vector ofother picture that is already coded as a reference motion vector. (Seereference, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No.H11-75191).

FIG. 2 is a pattern diagram showing a method of estimating andgenerating motion vectors in the temporal direct mode. P representsP-picture whereas B represents B-picture and the numbers put on thepicture types indicate a display order of each of the pictures. Each ofthe pictures P1, B2, B3 and P4 respectively includes display orderinformation T1, T2, T3 and T4. Here, a case of coding a block BL0 in thepicture B3 shown in FIG. 2 in the temporal direct mode is illustrated.

In this case, a motion vector MV1 in a block BL1, co-locating with theblock BL0 in the picture P4 that is already coded and located closely tothe picture B3 in display order, is used. The motion vector MV1 is usedfor coding the block BL1 and refers to the picture P1. In this case, themotion vectors used for coding the block BL0 are as follows: motionvector MV_F with respect to the picture P1 and a motion vector MV_B withrespect to the picture P4. Assuming that the value of the motion vectorMV1 is MV, the value of the MV_F is MVf and the value of the motionvector MV_B is MVb, the MVf and the MVb can be obtained using respectiveequations 1a and 1b shown below.MVf=(T3−T1)/(T4−T1)×MV   (Equation 1a)MVb=(T3−T4)/(T4−T1)×MV   (Equation 1b)

The motion compensation is thus performed for the block BL0 based on thereference pictures P1 and P4, using the motion vectors MV_F and the MV_Bobtained by performing scaling processing for the motion vector MV1.

On the other hand, in the spatial direct mode, the current block itselfdoes not have motion vectors, as is the case of temporal direct mode,and the motion vectors of the coded blocks spatially neighboring thecurrent block are used for reference in the coding.

FIG. 3 is a pattern diagram showing a method of estimating andgenerating the motion vectors in the spatial direct mode. P representsP-picture whereas B represents B-picture, and the numbers put on thepicture types indicate the display order of each of the pictures. Here,a case of coding the block BL0 in the picture B3 shown in FIG. 3 in thespatial direct mode is illustrated.

In this case, the motion vectors having referred to the coded picturesthat are located in the positions closest to the current block indisplay order, out of respective notion vectors MVA1, MVB1 and MVC1 ofthe coded blocks respectively including one of three pixels A, B and Cthat are located closely to the current block BL0, are determined ascandidates for a motion vector of the current block. When three motionvectors are determined as candidates, a medium value of the three valuesis obtained as a motion vector for the current block. When two motionvectors are determined as candidates, an average value of the two valuesis obtained as a motion vector for the current block. When only onemotion vector is determined as a candidate, the determined motion vectoris obtained as a motion vector for the current block. In the exampleshown in FIG. 3, the motion vectors MVA1 and MVC1 are obtained withreference to the picture P2 whereas the motion vector MVB1 is obtainedwith reference to the picture P1. Therefore, the average value of themotion vectors MVA1 and MVC1, referring to the picture P2 that isalready coded and located in a position closest to the current picturein display order, is obtained as the first motion vector for the currentblock, MV_F. The same applies when the second motion vector MV_B isobtained.

In the coding method of the H. 264, in the case of a progressivepicture, one picture is frame coded as a frame and furthermore, onepicture is allowed to be field coded as separate two fields, a top fieldand a bottom field, as in the case of interlaced picture.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are pattern diagrams showing display order informationassigned for the field of the interlaced picture and the progressivepicture. Two vertical lines respectively having the same frame numberrepresent that they are fields. For the interlaced picture, the displayorder information is assigned so that the top field and the bottom fieldare at regular intervals as shown in FIG. 4A. For the progressivepicture, it is defined that two fields can represent an exact relationin display order by having the same display order information as shownin FIG. 4B. In the following description, a picture with two fieldsbelonging to the same frame and having the same display orderinformation is called a progressive picture, otherwise, called aninterlaced picture. However, the case is not limited to this and anypicture can have two fields belonging to the same frame and having thesame display order information.

When the field coding is performed for the interlaced picture and theprogressive picture, and the temporal direct mode is selected, thescaling of the motion vector is performed using the method explained inthe Background Art as well as the display order information assigned foreach field. Here, there is a case in which the two reference picturesare a top field and a bottom field belonging to the same frame. Thefollowing describes the respective cases of field coding the interlacedpicture and the progressive picture.

FIG. 5 is a pattern diagram showing a method of estimating andgenerating the motion vectors in temporal direct mode in the case of theinterlaced picture. P represents P-picture whereas B representsB-picture, and the numbers put on the picture types represent displayorder of each of the pictures. Here, a case of field coding the blockBL0 in the picture B2 shown in FIG. 5 the temporal direct mode isdescribed.

In this case, a motion vector MV1 of the block BL1, co-locating with theblock BL0 in the picture P3 that is a backward reference picture of thepicture B2, is used. The motion vector MV1 is a motion vector used forcoding the block BL1 and refers to a top field of the same picture P3.The motion vectors MV_F and MV_B used for coding the block BL0 can beobtained as shown below, using the equations 1a and 1b described above.MVf=(4−5)/(6−5)×MV=−MVMVb=(4−6)/(6−5)×MV=−2MV

FIG. 6 is a pattern diagram showing a method of estimating andgenerating the motion vectors in temporal direct mode for a progressivepicture. P represents a P-picture whereas B represents a B-picture, andthe numbers put on the picture types indicate display order of each ofthe pictures. Here, the case of field coding the block BL0 in thepicture B2 shown in FIG. 6 in the temporal direct mode is described.

In this case, the motion vector MV1 of the block BL1, co-locating withthe block BL0 in the picture P3 that is a backward reference picture ofthe picture B2, is used. The motion vector MV1 is a motion vector usedfor coding the block BL1 and refers to a top field of the same pictureP3. In this case, the motion vectors MV_F and MV_B used for coding theblock BL0 cannot be obtained since the denominators indicate 0 in theequations 1a and 1b above.MVf=(5−5)/(5−5)×MV operation is not allowedMVb=(3−5)/(5−5)×MV operation is not allowed

Thus, when the field coding is performed for the progressive picture,the motion vectors cannot be generated by performing the scalingprocessing in the case where temporal direct mode is selected and thetwo reference pictures are the top field and the bottom field belongingto the same frame.

Similarly, when the field coding is performed for the interlaced pictureand the progressive picture, and the spatial direct mode is selected, amotion vector referring to the coded picture that is located in aposition closest to the current picture in display order is determinedas a candidate for a motion vector of the current block, using thedisplay order information assigned for each field. Here, there is a casethat the pictures referred to by the motion vectors can be a top fieldand a bottom field belonging to the same frame.

FIG. 7 is a pattern diagram showing a method of estimating andgenerating the motion vectors in the spatial direct mode for aprogressive picture. P represents a P-picture and B represents aB-picture whereas the numbers put on the picture types indicate displayorder of each of the pictures and T represents a top field while Brepresents a bottom field. Here, the case of field coding the block BL0in the picture B3_T shown in FIG. 7 in the spatial direct mode isillustrated.

In this case, a respective motion vectors MVA1, MVB1 and MVC1 of thecoded blocks which respectively include one of three pixels of A, B andC, that are located closely to the current block BL0, refer respectivelyto the fields P2_T, P1_B and P2_B. The fields P2_T and P2_B have thesame display order information since they are the top field and thebottom field belonging to the same frame. Therefore, it is impossible tospecify which of the fields P2_T and P2 _B is located in a positionclosest to the current block in display order. Consequently, the motionvectors can neither be estimated nor generated for the current block.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention therefore is conceived considering the abovecircumstances and aims to provide a moving picture coding/decodingmethod that can obtain a motion vector without fail, when the movingpicture is field coded/decoded and the direct mode is selected.

In order to achieve the above object, the moving picture coding methodaccording to the present invention is a method for coding a movingpicture, using either a frame structure or a field structure. The methodcomprises: a motion vector calculation step of calculating motionvectors for each block that constitutes a picture, using coded picturesas reference pictures; a mode decision step of deciding a coding modefor coding a current block to be coded; a scaling judgment step ofjudging whether or not the motion vectors for the current block can beestimated and generated, when the coding mode decided in the modedecision step is a coding mode in which (i) a motion vector of a picturethat is already coded and located closely to the current picture indisplay order is used as a reference motion vector and (ii) the motionvectors for the current block are estimated and generated by performingscaling processing for the reference motion vector based on a locationrelation between the current picture and the reference picturesaccording to the display order; and a motion compensation step ofperforming motion compensation by using either the coding mode decidedin the mode decision step or another coding mode, based on a result ofthe judgment in the scaling judgment step.

Thus, it is possible to code the current block by performing processingsuch as changing the coding mode even though the scaling processingcannot be performed, when the motion vector of the coded picture that islocated closely to the current picture in display order is used as areference motion vector and the coding is performed in the temporaldirect mode to estimate and generate the motion vectors for the currentblock by performing the scaling processing for the reference motionvector based on a location relation between the current picture and thereference pictures according to the display order.

Also, the moving picture coding method according to the presentinvention includes a method for coding a moving picture, using either aframe structure or a field structure. This method includes: a motionvector calculation step of calculating motion vectors for each blockthat constitutes a picture, using coded pictures as reference pictures;an estimation judgment step of judging whether or not motion vectors fora current block to be coded can be estimated and generated when themotion vectors for the current block are estimated and generated basedon at least one motion vector referring to the coded pictures that arelocated in positions closest to a current picture to be coded, out ofmotion vectors of coded blocks that are located spatially close to thecurrent block; and a closest picture decision step of deciding that apicture is located in a position closest to the current picture, usinginformation other than display order information, when it is judged inthe estimation judgment step that the motion vectors cannot begenerated.

Thus, it is possible to estimate and generate the motion vectors andthereby code the current block by deciding the picture that is locatedin the position closest to the current picture even though the motionvectors can neither be estimated nor generated based on the displayorder information assigned for the pictures, when the coding isperformed in the spatial direct mode to estimate and generate at leastone motion vectors for the current block based on the motion vectorwhich has referred to the coded picture that is located in the positionclosest to the current picture in display order, out of the motionvectors of coded blocks that are located spatially close to the currentblock.

The moving picture decoding method according to the present inventionincludes a method for decoding a moving picture, using either a framestructure or a field structure. This method comprises: a motion vectorcalculation step of calculating motion vectors for each block thatconstitute a picture, using decoded pictures as reference pictures; amode extraction step of extracting a decoding mode for decoding acurrent block to be decoded; a scaling judgment step of judging whetheror not the motion vectors for the current block can be estimated andgenerated, when the decoding mode extracted in the mode extraction stepis a decoding mode in which (i) the motion vector of the decoded picturethat is located closely to a current picture to be decoded in displayorder is used as a reference motion vector and (ii) the motion vectorsfor the current block are estimated end generated by performing scalingprocessing for the reference motion vector based on a location relationbetween the current picture and the reference pictures according to thedisplay order; and a motion compensation step of performing motioncompensation by using either the decoding mode extracted in the modeextraction step or another decoding mode, based on a result of thejudgment in the scaling judgment step.

Thus, it is possible to decode the current block by performingprocessing such as the changing of the decoding mode, when the scalingprocessing cannot be performed even though the coding mode extracted atthe time of coding is the temporal direct mode.

Also, the moving picture decoding method according to the presentinvention including a method for decoding a moving picture, using eithera frame structure or a field structure. This method comprises: a motionvector calculation step of calculating motion vectors for each blockthat constitutes a picture, using decoded pictures as referencepictures; an estimation judgment step of judging whether or not motionvectors for a current block to be decoded can be estimated andgenerated, when the motion vectors for the current block are estimated,generated and decoded based on at least one motion vector referring tothe decoded pictures that are located in positions closest in displayorder to a current picture to be decoded, out of the motion vectors ofdecoded blocks that are located spatially close to the current block;and a closest picture decision step of deciding that a picture islocated in a position closest to the current picture, using informationother than display order information, when it is judged in theestimation judgment step that the motion vectors cannot be generated.

Thus, it is possible to estimate and generate the motion vectors bydeciding the picture that is located in the position closest to thecurrent picture and thereby decode the current block even though themotion vectors can neither be estimated nor generated based on thedisplay order information assigned for the pictures, when decoding isperformed in the spatial direct mode.

Furthermore, the present invention can be realized not only as themoving picture coding method and the moving picture decoding method asdescribed above but also as a moving picture coding apparatus and amoving picture decoding apparatus having the characteristic stepsincluded in such moving picture coding/decoding method as units and alsoas a program having a computer execute these steps. Such a program canbe surely distributed via a storage medium such as a CD-ROM or atransmission medium such as the Internet.

The moving picture coding method according to the present invention mayinclude any of component (1)˜(11) described below.

-   (1) A method for coding a moving picture, using either a frame    structure or a field structure. This method comprises: a motion    vector calculation step of calculating motion vectors for each block    that constitutes a picture, using coded pictures as reference    pictures; a mode decision step of deciding a coding mode for coding    a current block to be coded; a scaling judgment step of judging    whether or not the motion vectors for the current block can be    estimated and generated, when the coding mode decided in the mode    decision step is a coding mode in which (i) motion vector of the    coded picture located closely in display order to a current picture    to be coded is used as a reference motion vector and (ii) the motion    vectors for the current block are estimated and generated by    performing scaling processing for the reference motion vector based    on a location relation between the current picture and the reference    pictures according to the display order; and a motion compensation    step of performing motion compensation by using either the coding    mode decided in the mode decision step or another coding mode based    on a result of the judgment in the scaling judgment step.-   (2) In the scaling judgment step, it is judged that the motion    vectors or the current block can neither be estimated nor generated    by performing the scaling processing, when two of the reference    pictures used for the scaling processing have the same display order    information (e.g., when a decoded picture that includes a co-located    block and when a reference picture that is referred to by the    co-located block in a decoding process of the co-located block are    both displayed at a same time as a result of display order    information of the decoded picture that is identical to display    order information of the reference picture).-   (3) In the scaling judgment step, it is judged that the motion    vectors for the current block carp neither be estimated nor    generated by performing the scaling processing, when two of the    reference pictures used for the scaling processing are a top field    and a bottom field, belonging to a same frame and having same    display order information.-   (4) In the motion compensation step, when it is judged in the    scaling judgment step that the motion vectors cannot be generated,    the motion compensation is performed by using another coding mode to    perform coding based on the motion vectors calculated for the    current block in the motion vector calculation step.-   (5) In the motion compensation step, when it is judged in the    scaling judgment step that the motion vectors cannot be generated,    the motion compensation is performed, without the scaling    processing, by using the coding mode decided in the mode decision    step and using the motion vectors estimated and generated for the    current block as predetermined vectors.-   (6) At least one of the predetermined vectors is a 0 vector, and in    the motion compensation step, when it is judged in the scaling    judgment step that the motion vectors cannot be generated, the    motion compensation is performed, without the scaling processing, by    using the coding mode decided in the mode decision step and using at    least one of the motion vectors estimated and generated for the    current block, as a 0 vector.-   (7) In the motion compensation step, when it is judged in the    scaling judgment step that the motion vectors cannot be generated,    the motion compensation is performed by using another coding mode to    estimate, generate and code the motion vectors for the current    block, based on at least one motion vector of coded blocks that are    located spatially close to the current block.-   (8) A method for coding a moving picture, using either a frame    structure or a field structure. The method comprises: a motion    vector calculation step of calculating motion vectors for each block    that constitutes a picture using coded pictures as reference    pictures; an estimation judgment step of judging whether or not    motion vectors for a current block to be coded can be estimated and    generated, when the motion vectors for the current block are    estimated and generated based on at least one motion vector    referring to the coded pictures that are located in positions    closest in display order to a current picture to be coded, out of    motion vectors of coded blocks that are located spatially close to    the current block; and a closest picture decision step of deciding    that a picture is located in a position closest to the current    picture, based on information other than display order information,    when it is judged in the estimation judgment step that the motion    vectors cannot be generated.-   (9) In the estimation judgment step, it is judged that the motion    vectors for the current block can neither be estimated nor    generated, when the respective motion vectors of the coded blocks    include a plurality of motion vectors referring to the coded picture    that is located in the position closest to the current picture in    display order, the plurality of the reference pictures are a top    field and a bottom field, belonging to a same frame and having same    display order information.-   (10) In the closest picture decision step, a picture having a same    attribute as the current picture is determined to be a picture that    is located in a position closest to the current picture, out of the    top field and the bottom field, belonging to the same frame and    having the same display order information, when it is judged in the    estimation judgment step that the motion vectors cannot be    generated.-   (11) In the closest picture decision step, a picture coded at a    later time is determined to be a picture that is located in a    position closest to the current picture, out of the top field and    the bottom field, belonging to the same frame and having the same    display order information, when it is judged in the estimation    judgment step that the motion vectors cannot be generated.

The moving picture decoding method according to the present inventionmay include any components of (12)˜(22) described below.

-   (12) A method for decoding a moving picture, using either a frame    structure or a field structure. This method comprises: a motion    vector calculation step of calculating motion vectors for each block    that constitutes a picture, using decoded pictures as reference    pictures; a mode extraction step of extracting a decoding mode for    decoding a current block to be decoded; a scaling judgment step of    judging whether or not the motion vectors for the current block can    be estimated and generated, when the decoding mode extracted in the    mode extraction step is a decoding mode in which (i) a motion vector    of the decoded picture located closely in display order to a current    picture to be decoded is used as a reference motion vector and (ii)    the motion vectors for the current block are estimated and generated    by performing scaling processing for the reference motion vector    based on a location relation between the current picture and the    reference pictures according to the display order and motion    compensation step of performing motion compensation by using either    the decoding mode extracted in the mode extraction step or another    decoding mode, based on a result of the judgment in the scaling    judgment step.-   (13) In the scaling judgment step, it is judged that the motion    vectors for the current block can neither be estimated nor generated    by performing the scaling processing, when two of the reference    pictures used for the scaling processing have same display order    information.-   (14) In the scaling judgment step, it is judged that the motion    vectors can neither be estimated nor generated by performing the    scaling processing, when two of the reference pictures used for the    scaling processing are a top field and a bottom field, belonging to    a same frame and having same display order information.-   (15) In the motion compensation step, when it is judged in the    scaling judgment step that the motion vectors cannot be generated,    the motion compensation is performed by using another decoding mode    to perform decoding based on the motion vectors estimated for the    current block in the motion vector estimation step.-   (16) In the motion compensation step, when it is judged in the    scaling judgment step that the motion vectors cannot be generated,    the motion compensation is performed, without the scaling    processing, by using the decoding mode extracted in the mode    extraction step and using the motion vectors estimated and generated    for the current block, as predetermined vectors.-   (17) At least one of the predetermined vectors is a 0 vector, and in    the motion compensation step, when it is judged in the scaling    judgment step that the motion vectors cannot be generated, the    motion compensation is performed, without the scaling processing, by    using the decoding mode extracted in the mode extraction step and    using at least one of the motion vectors estimated and generated for    the current block, as a 0 vector.-   (18) In the motion compensation step, when it is judged in the    scaling judgment step that the motion vectors cannot be generated,    the motion compensation is performed by using another decoding mode    to estimate, generate and decode the motion vectors for the current    block based on at least one motion vector of decoded blocks that are    located spatially close to the current block.-   (19) A method for decoding a moving picture, using either a frame    structure or a field structure. This method comprises: a motion    vector calculation step of calculating motion vectors for each block    that constitutes a picture, using decoded pictures as reference    pictures; an estimation judgment step of judging whether or not    motion vectors for a current block to be decoded can be estimated    and generated, when the motion vectors for the current block are    estimated, generated and decoded based on at least one motion vector    referring to the decoded pictures that are located in positions    closest in display order to a current picture to be decoded, out of    the motion vectors of decoded blocks that are located spatially    close to the current block; and a closest picture decision step of    deciding that a picture is located in a position closest to the    current picture, using information other than display order    information, when it is judged in the estimation judgment step that    the motion vectors cannot be generated.-   (20) In the estimation judgment step, it is judged that the motion    vectors for the current block can neither be estimated nor generated    when the respective motion vectors of the decoded blocks include a    plurality of motion vectors referring to the decoded picture that is    located in a position closest to the current picture in display    order and the plurality of the reference pictures are a top field    and a bottom field, belonging to a same frame and having same    display order information.-   (21) In the closest picture decision step, a picture having a same    attribute as the current picture is decided as a picture that is    located in a position closest to the current picture, out of the top    field and the bottom field belonging to the same frame and having    the same display order information, when it is judged in the    estimation judgment step that the motion vectors cannot be    generated.-   (22) In the closest picture decision step, a picture that is decoded    at a later time is determined to be a picture that is located in a    position closest to the current picture, out of the top field and    the bottom field, belonging to the same frame and having the same    display order information when it is judged in the estimation    judgment step that the motion vectors cannot be generated.

As it is apparent from the above description, with the moving picturecoding method according to the present invention it is possible to codethe current block by generating the motion vectors without fail, whenthe coding is performed either in the temporal direct mode or in thespatial direct mode.

With the moving picture decoding method according to the presentinvention it is also possible to decode the current block by generatingthe motion vectors without fail, when the decoding is performed eitherin the temporal direct mode or in the spatial direct mode.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a pattern diagram showing a prediction relation of eachpicture according to a conventional moving picture coding method.

FIG. 2 is a pattern diagram showing a method of estimating andgenerating motion vectors in temporal direct mode.

FIG. 3 is a pattern diagram showing a method of estimating andgenerating motion vectors in spatial direct mode.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are pattern diagrams showing display order informationassigned for a field of an interlaced picture and a progressive picture.

FIG. 5 is a pattern diagram showing a method of estimating andgenerating motion vectors for coding the interlaced picture in atemporal direct mode.

FIG. 6 is a pattern diagram showing a method of estimating andgenerating motion vectors for coding the progressive picture in thetemporal direct mode.

FIG. 7 is pattern diagram showing a method of estimating and generatingmotion vectors for coding the progressive picture in a spatial directmode.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a structure of an embodiment of amoving picture coding apparatus according to the present invention.

FIGS. 9A and 9B are illustrations showing an order of pictures in apicture memory. FIG. 9A shows an inputting order whereas FIG. 9B shows areordering order.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an operation of determining a coding modeusing method 1 employed by a direct mode enable/disable judgment unit.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an operation of determining a coding modeusing method 2 employed by the direct mode enable/disable judgment unit.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an operation of determining a coding modeusing method 3 employed by the direct mode enable/disable judgment unit.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing an operation of determining a coding modeusing method 1′ employed by the direct mode enable/disable judgmentunit.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing a structure of an embodiment of amoving picture decoding apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing an operation of determining a decodingmode using method 1 employed by the direct mode enable/disable judgmentunit.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing an operation of determining a decodingmode using method 2 employed by the direct mode enable/disable judgmentunit.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing an operation of determining a decodingmode using method 3 employed by the direct mode enable/disable judgmentunit.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing an operation of determining a decodingmode using method 3 employed by the direct mode enable/disable judgmentunit.

FIGS. 19A, 19B and 19C are illustrations showing a storage medium forstoring a program for realizing the moving picture coding method and themoving picture decoding method according to the first embodiment. FIG.19A is an illustration showing a physical format of a flexible disk thatis a main body of the storage medium. FIG. 19B is an illustrationshowing a full appearance of the flexible disk, a structure at crosssection and the flexible disk itself. FIG. 19C is an illustrationshowing a structure for recording/reproducing the program onto theflexible dish FD.

FIG. 20 is a block diagram showing a whole structure of a content supplysystem for realizing content distribution service.

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing an example of a cell phone.

FIG. 22 is a block diagram showing an inner structure of the cell phone.

FIG. 23 is block diagram showing a whole structure of a digitalbroadcasting system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following describes embodiments according to the present inventionin detail with reference to the diagrams.

(First Embodiment)

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a structure of an embodiment of amoving picture coding apparatus using the moving picture coding methodaccording to the present invention.

The moving picture coding apparatus includes, as shown in FIG. 8, apicture memory 101, a predictive residual coding unit 102, a bit streamgeneration unit 103, a predictive residual decoding unit 104, a picturememory 105, a motion vector estimation unit 106, a motion compensationcoding unit 107, a motion vector storage unit 108, a direct modeenable/disable judgment unit 109, a subtraction unit 110, an additionunit 111 and switches 112 and 113.

The picture memory 101 stores a moving picture inputted on apicture-by-picture basis in display order. The motion vector estimationunit 106 uses coded reconstructed image data as a reference picture andestimates motion vectors indicating positions estimated to be optimalfor the estimation within a search range in the picture. The motioncompensation coding unit 107 decides a coding mode for a block using themotion vectors estimated by the motion vector estimation unit 106, andgenerates predictive image data based on the coding mode. The codingmode indicates how to code a macroblock.

The motion vector storage unit 108 stores the motion vectors estimatedby the motion vector estimation unit 106. The direct mode enable/disablejudgment unit 109 judges whether or not scaling processing can beperformed, when the coding mode decided by the motion compensationcoding unit 107 is a temporal direct mode, and determines the codingmode. The direct mode enable/disable judgment unit 109 judges whetherthe motion vectors for the current block can be estimated and generated,when the coding mode is a spatial direct mode. The subtraction unit 110calculates a differential between the image data read out from thepicture memory 101 and the predictive image data inputted by the motioncompensation coding unit 107 and generates predictive residual imagedata.

The predictive residual coding unit 102 performs coding processing suchas frequency conversion and quantization for the inputted predictiveresidual image data, and generates coded data. The bit stream generationunit 103 performs variable length coding or the like for the inputtedcoded data and furthermore, generates a bit stream by adding informationon the motion vectors and the coding mode, inputted from the motioncompensation coding unit 107.

The predictive residual decoding unit 104 performs decoding processingsuch as inverse quantization and inverse frequency conversion for theinputted coded data, and generates decoded differential image data. Theaddition unit 111 adds the decoded differential image data inputted fromthe predictive residual decoding unit 104, to the predictive image datainputted from the motion compensation coding unit 107, and generatesreconstructed image data. The picture memory 105 stores the generatedreconstructed image data.

The following describes an operation of the moving picture codingapparatus constructed as above.

FIGS. 9A and 9B are illustrations indicating an order of each picture inthe picture memory 101. FIG. 9A shows an inputting order whereas FIG. 9Bshows a re-ordering order. Here, the vertical line represents a picture.As for the marks put in the lower right-side of each of the pictures,the alphabet in the head indicates picture types (I, P or B) whereas thenumbers indicate picture numbers in display order, P-picture uses anI-picture or a P-picture located closely to and forward of the currentpicture in display order, whereas B-picture uses (i) an I-picture or aP-picture located closely to and forward of the current picture indisplay order, and (ii) an I-picture or a P-picture located backward ofthe current picture in display order, as reference pictures.

An input image is inputted, for example, into the picture memory 101 ona picture-by-picture basis in display order as shown in FIG. 9A. Each ofthe pictures inputted in the picture memory 101 is re-ordered, forexample, in a coding order as shown in FIG. 9B, when the picture type tobe coded is determined. The re-ordering into the coding order isoperated based on the reference relation in the inter-picture predictioncoding so that the pictures used as reference pictures are coded priorto the picture that refers to these reference pictures.

Each of the pictures re-ordered in the picture memory 101 is read outper macroblock that is divided, for instance, into a group of 16(horizontal)×16 (vertical) pixels. The motion compensation and theestimation of the motion vectors are operated per block that is divided,for instance, into a group of 8 (horizontal)×8 (vertical) pixels.

For the subsequent operation, a case in which a current picture to becoded is a B-picture is described.

The inter-picture prediction coding using bi-directional reference isperformed for B-pictures. For example, when coding a picture B11 in theexample shown in FIG. 9A, the forward reference pictures in displayorder are pictures P10, P7 and P4 whereas the back and referencepictures in display order is picture P13. Here, a case in whichB-pictures cannot be used as reference pictures when another picture iscoded is considered.

The macroblock in the picture B11 read out from the picture memory 101is inputted to the motion vector estimation unit 106 and the subtractionunit 110.

The motion compensation coding unit 107 decides'whether to code eachblock in the macroblock using either a frame structure or a fieldstructure. The decision is made, for example, by obtaining a dispersionof pixel values in the block using both the frame structure and thefield structure, and selecting the one with a small dispersion. Eachpicture may be coded on a picture-by-picture basis using either theframe structure or the field structure.

The motion vector estimation unit 106 estimates both a forward andmotion vector and a backward motion vector for each of the blocks in themacroblock using the reference pictures stored in the picture memory 105either as a frame or a field, according to the decision on the codingusing either the frame structure or the field structure. Here,reconstructed image data of the pictures P10, P7 and P4 stored in thepicture memory 105 are used as forward reference pictures andreconstructed image data of the picture P13 is used as a backwardreference picture. The motion vector estimation unit 106 outputs theestimated motion vectors to the motion compensation coding unit 107.

The motion compensation coding unit 107 decides the coding mode for themacroblock, using the motion vectors estimated by the motion vectorestimation unit 106. Here, the coding mode for B-pictures can beselected, for instance, from intra-picture prediction coding,inter-picture prediction coding using forward motion vector,inter-picture prediction coding using backward motion vector,inter-picture prediction coding using bi-directional motion vectors, anddirect mode. As for the direct mode, either a temporal direct mode or aspatial direct mode is specified in advance. Regarding the decision ofthe coding mode, a mode in which coding error is the smallest due to thesmall bit amount is selected normally.

The following describes an operation of determining a coding modeperformed by the direct mode enable/disable judgment unit 109, when itis selected to code in the direct mode. The operation of determining thecoding mode can be performed using any of the methods 1˜3 describedbelow.

(Method 1)

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an operation of determining a coding modeusing method 1. The motion compensation coding unit 107 selects to codein a direct mode and notifies the direct mode enable/disable judgmentunit 109 of the selected mode. The direct mode enable/disable judgmentunit 109 which is notified firstly determines whether or not a temporaldirect mode is specified (Step S101). When it is judged that thetemporal direct mode is specified, the direct mode enable/disablejudgment unit 109 determines whether or not a field coding is selected(Step S102). When it is judged that the filed coding is not selected,the direct mode enable/disable judgment unit 109 instructs the motioncompensation coding unit 107 to perform coding in the temporal directmode (Step S103). On the other hand, when it is judged that the fieldcoding is selected, the direct mode enable/disable judgment unit 109judges whether or not the motion vectors used for the current block canbe estimated and generated by performing scaling processing (Step S104).Namely, the enable/disable judgment unit 109 judges whether or not twoof the reference pictures belong to the same frame and are top field anda bottom field, having the same display order information. When scalingprocessing can be performed as a result (NO in the judgment of thecondition in Step S104), the direct mode enable/disable judgment unit109 instructs the motion compensation coding unit 107 to code in thetemporal direct mode (Step S103). On the other hand, when the scalingprocessing cannot be performed (YES in the judgment of the condition inStep S104), the direct mode enable/disable judgment unit 109 instructsthe motion compensation coding unit 107 to perform coding using a modeother than the direct mode (Step S105).

As a result of the determination described above (Step S101), when it isjudged that the selected mode is not the temporal direct mode, (namely aspatial direct mode), the direct mode enable/disable judgment unit 109judges whether or not the field coding is selected (Step S106). When itis judged that the field coding is not selected the direct modeenable/disable judgment unit 109 instructs the motion compensationcoding unit 107 to perform coding in the spatial direct mode (StepS107).

As a result of the determination described above (Step S106), when it isjudged that the field coding is selected, the direct mode enable/disablejudgment unit 109 judges whether or not the motion vectors used for thecurrent block can be estimated and generated in the spatial direct mode,based on the display order information assigned for the pictures (StepS108). Namely, it judges whether or not the respective motion vectors ofthe three coded blocks respectively including one of three pixels thatare located closely to the current block include a plurality of motionvectors referring to the coded picture that is located in the positionclosest to the current picture (field) in display order, and also,whether or not the plurality of the reference pictures belong to thesame frame, as a top field and a bottom field, having the same displayorder information. When the above conditions are satisfied, the directmode enable/disable judgment unit 109 judges that the motion vectors canneither be estimated nor generated.

As a result of the determination above (Step S108), when judging thatthe motion vectors can be estimated and generated (NO in the judgment ofthe conditions in Step S108), the direct mode enable/disable judgmentunit 109 instructs the motion compensation coding unit 107 to performcoding in the spatial direct mode (Step S107).

On the other hand, when judging that the motion vectors can neither beestimated nor generated (YES in the judgment of the conditions in StepS108), the direct mode enable/disable judgment unit 109 instructs themotion compensation coding unit 107 to consider the field having thesame attribute as a current field to be coded, as a field closest to thecurrent field in display order, out of the top field and the bottomfield which have the same display order information (Step S109). Here,the field having the same attribute means top field when the currentfield is a top field and a bottom field when the current field is abottom field. Taking this into consideration, the direct modeenable/disable judgment unit 109 instructs the motion compensationcoding unit 107 to perform coding in the spatial direct mode (StepS107).

(Method 2)

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an operation of determining a coding modeusing the method 2. The processing except for the processing in the caseof judging that the field coding is selected and judging that thescaling processing cannot be performed (Steps S201˜S204, S206˜S209) isthe same as described in method 1, therefore, the description isabbreviated.

When it is judged that the field coding is selected and that the scalingprocessing cannot be performed, the direct mode enable/disable judgmentunit 109 instructs the motion compensation coding unit 107 to performcoding in the temporal direct mode using a motion vector indicating “0”(Step S205).

(Method 3)

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an operation of determining a coding modeusing the method 3. The processing except for the processing in the caseof judging that the field coding is selected and judging that thescaling processing cannot be performed (Step S301˜S306, S308) is thesame as the one described in method 1, therefore, the description isabbreviated.

When it is judged that the field coding is selected and that the scalingprocessing cannot be performed, the direct mode enable/disable judgmentunit 109 judges whether or not the motion vectors used for the currentblock can be estimated and generated in the spatial direct mode (StepS307). The subsequent operation is as same as the one described inmethod 1, therefore the description is abbreviated.

As for the processing described above for the case in which it is judgedthat the motion vectors can neither be estimated nor generated in thespatial direct mode as illustrated in methods 1˜3 (Step S109, S209 andS308), the following processing may be performed as methods 1′˜3′. FIG.13 is flowchart showing an operation of determining a coding mode usingmethod 1′. As for methods 2′ and 3′, the descriptions and the diagramsare abbreviated since they are as same as those used for the method 1′.

(Method 1′)

The direct mode enable/disable judgment unit 109 instructs the motioncompensation coding unit 107 to consider a field coded later (namely afield that is coded at the earliest time after the coding of the currentfield) as a field located in a position closest to the current field indisplay order, out of the top field and the bottom field which have thesame display order information (Step S110 in FIG. 13).

The motion compensation coding unit 107 then generates predictive imagedata using the coding mode determined by the direct mode enable/disablejudgment unit 109. The following describes respective operationsaccording to the determined coding mode.

(Normal Coding in Temporal Direct Mode)

In this case, the motion compensation coding unit 107 performs motioncompensation using the same method as the temporal direct mode describedwith reference to FIG. 2 in the Background Art. Namely, the motioncompensation coding unit 107 uses a motion vector in block co-locatingwith the current block, in the coded picture, as a reference motionvector, reads out the reference motion vector from the motion vectorstorage unit 108, performs scaling processing based on the referencemotion vector as well as a location relation according to display timebetween the reference motion vector and the pictures, and then,estimates and generates the motion vectors for the current block. Themotion compensation coding unit 107 then performs bi-directionalprediction based on the two reference pictures using these motionvectors and generates predictive image data.

(Coding in Temporal Direct Mode Using Motion Vectors Indicating “0”)

The motion compensation coding unit 107 does not estimate/generate themotion vectors by performing the scaling processing but generatespredictive image data by performing bi-directional prediction based ontwo reference pictures using motion vectors indicating “0”.

The value of the motion vectors used here is not limited to “0” and maybe a predetermined value that can be determined regardless of thescaling processing. In the example above, it is explained that both ofthe two motion vectors corresponding to the two reference picturesindicate “0”. However, the present invention is not limited to this andat least one of the motion vectors may indicate “0”.

(Coding Using a Mode Other than Direct Mode)

The motion compensation coding unit 107 performs bi-directionalprediction based on two reference pictures using the motion vectorsestimated by the motion vector estimation unit 106 and generatespredictive image data.

(Coding in Spatial Direct Mode)

In this case, the motion compensation coding unit 107 performs motioncompensation using the same method as in the spatial direct modedescribed with reference to FIG. 3 in the Background Art. Namely, themotion compensation coding unit 107 estimates and generates the motionvectors used for the current block, using the motion vector which hasreferred to the coded picture that is located in a position closest tothe current picture in display order, out of the respective motionvectors of the three coded blocks respectively including one of threepixels that are located closely to the current block.

Here, when the respective motion vectors of the three blocks describedabove include a plurality of motion vectors referring to the codedpicture that is located in a position closest to the current picture(field) in display order, and also, the plurality of reference picturesbelong to the same frame as a top field and a bottom field which havethe same display order information, the motion compensation coding unit107 considers one of the top field and the bottom field as a fieldlocated in a position closest to the current field, based on theinstruction sent from the direct mode enable/disable judgment unit 109.

Namely, when the instruction sent from the direct mode enable/disablejudgment unit 109 is the one described in methods 1˜3 above, the fieldhaving the same attribute as the current field is considered to be thefield that is located in the position closest to the current field indisplay order, out of the top field and the bottom field which have thesame display order information. For example, in the example shown inFIG. 7, the field P2_T that is a top field as is the case of the currentfield B3_T is considered to be the field that is located in the positionclosest to the current field in display order, out of the fields P2_Tand P2_B. Therefore, the motion vector MVA1 referring to the field P2_Tis determined as a candidate for the first motion vector of the currentblock.

When the instruction sent from the direct mode enable/disable judgmentunit 109 is the one described In methods 1′˜3′, the field coded later isconsidered to be the field that is located in the position closest tothe current field in display order out of the top field and the bottomfield, having the same display order information. For example, in FIG.7, assuming that the field P2_B out of the fields P2_T and P2_B is codedlater, the field P2_B is considered to be the field that is located inthe position closest to the current field in display order, out of thefields P2_B and P2_T which have the same display order information.Thus, the motion vector MVC1 referring to the field P2_B is determinedas a candidate for the first motion vector MV_F of the current block.The same applies to a case in which MV_B is obtained as the secondmotion vector.

When three motion vectors are thus determined, the medium value isselected as a motion vector of the current block. When two motionvectors are thus determined, the average value is obtained andconsidered to be a motion vector of the current block. When a singlemotion vector is determined (an example shown in FIG. 7), the determinedmotion vector is obtained as a motion vector of the current block. Themotion compensation coding unit 107 performs motion compensation basedon the reference pictures using the motion vectors thus obtained andthereby generates predictive image data.

The motion compensation coding unit 107 then outputs the predictiveimage data generated as above to the subtraction unit 110 and theaddition unit 111. When the motion compensation coding unit 107 selectsthe intra-picture prediction, the predictive image data is notoutputted. When the motion compensation coding unit 107 selects theintra-picture prediction, the switch 112 is connected to the side towhich the signal is inputted directly from the picture memory 101. Whenthe inter-picture prediction is selected, the switch 112 is controlledto be connected to the side to which the signal is inputted from thesubtraction unit 110. The motion compensation coding unit 107 outputsthe determined coding mode to the bit stream generation unit 103.

The subtraction unit 110, to which the predictive image data is inputtedfrom the motion compensation coding unit 107, calculates a differentialbetween the predictive image data, and the image data of the macroblockin the picture B11, which is read out from the picture memory 101,generates predictive residual image data and outputs it to thepredictive residual coding unit 102.

The predictive residual coding unit 102, to which the predictiveresidual image data is inputted, performs coding processing such asfrequency conversion and quantization, generates coded data and outputsit to the bit stream generation unit 103. The bit stream generation unit103, to which the coded data is inputted, performs variable lengthcoding or the like for the coded data, generates a bit stream by addingthe information on the motion vectors and the coding mode inputted fromthe motion compensation coding unit 107 and outputs it. As for themacroblock coded in the direct mode, the information on motion vectorsis not added to the bit stream.

The subsequent coding processing is performed for the rest of themacroblocks in the picture B11 in the same processing.

Thus, when the field coding is selected and the coding is performed inthe temporal direct mode, whether or not the scaling processing can beperformed is determined. When it is determined that the scalingprocessing cannot be performed, the coding mode is changed so that thereis no such case in which the coding cannot be performed since thescaling processing cannot be performed.

When the field coding is selected and the coding is performed in thespatial direct mode, whether or not the motion vectors used for thecurrent block can be estimated and generated is determined based on thedisplay order information assigned for the pictures. When it isdetermined that the motion vectors can neither be estimated norgenerated, necessary processing is performed to specify which field outof the top field and the bottom field which have the same display orderinformation, is considered as a field that is located in the positionclosest to the current field in display order. Therefore, there is notsuch case in which the motion vectors can neither be estimated norgenerated and the coding cannot be performed.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing a structure of an embodiment of amoving picture decoding apparatus using the moving picture decidingmethod according to the present invention.

The moving picture decoding apparatus includes a bit stream analysisunit 201, predictive residual decoding unit 202, a picture memory 203, amotion compensation decoding unit 204, a motion vector storage unit 205,a direct mode enable/disable judgment unit 206, an addition unit 207 anda switch 208.

The bit stream analysis unit 201 extracts, from the inputted bit stream,various kinds of data such as information on a decoding mode and themotion vectors used at the time of coding. The predictive residualdecoding unit 202 decodes the inputted predictive residual data andgenerates predictive residual image data. The motion compensationdecoding unit 204 generates motion compensation image data based on theinformation on the decoding mode and the motion vectors. The motionvector storage unit 205 stores the motion vectors extracted by the bitstream analysis unit 201.

The direct mode enable/disable judgment unit 206 judges whether or notthe scaling processing can be performed and determines a decoding mode,when the decoding mode extracted by the bit stream analysis unit 201 isa temporal direct mode. The direct mode enable/disable judgment unit 206judges also whether or not the motion vectors used for a current blockto be decoded can be estimated and generated, when the decoding mode isa spatial direct mode. The addition unit 207 adds the predictiveresidual image data inputted from the predictive residual decoding unit202 to the motion compensation image data inputted from the motioncompensation decoding unit 204 and thereby generates decoded image data.The picture memory 203 stores the generated decoded image data.

The following describes an operation of the moving picture decodingapparatus constructed as above. The order of the pictures is explainedwith reference to FIGS. 9A and 9B. Here, a P-picture is coded using anI-picture or a P-picture located closely to and forward of the currentpicture in display order, whereas a B-picture is coded using (i) anI-picture or a P-picture located closely to and forward of the currentpicture in display order, and (ii) an I-picture or a P-picture locatedclosely to and backward of the current picture in display order, asreference pictures.

A bit stream is inputted to the bit stream analysis unit 201 in thepicture order as shown in FIG. 9B. The bit stream analysis unit 201extracts from the inputted bit stream various kinds of information suchas information on the decoding mode and the motion vectors. The bitstream analysis unit 201 outputs respectively the extracted informationon the decoding mode to the motion compensation decoding unit 204 andthe information on the motion vectors to the motion vector storage unit205.

The bit stream analysis unit 201 also outputs the extracted codedpredictive residual data to the predictive residual decoding unit 202.The predictive residual decoding unit 202, to which the coded predictiveresidual data is inputted, performs decoding of the coded predictiveresidual data, generates predictive residual image data and outputs itto the addition unit 207.

As for the subsequent operation, a case in which the current picture tobe decoded is a B-picture and the decoding mode extracted by the bitstream analysis 201 is the direct mode is described.

The motion compensation decoding unit 204, to which the information onthe decoding mode is inputted by the bit stream analysis unit 201,judges whether or not a current block to be decoded is decoded in thedirect mode and notifies the direct mode enable/disable judgment unit206 of it when the decoding is performed in the direct mode.

The following describes an operation of the determination of thedecoding mode performed by the direct mode enable/disable judgment unit206 when the decoding mode is the direct mode. The operation for thedetermination of the decoding mode can be performed using any of methods1˜3 described below.

(Method 1)

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing an operation of determining a decodingmode using method 1. The direct mode enable/disable judgment unit 206firstly judges whether or not a temporal direct mode is specified (StepS401). When it is judged that the temporal direct mode is specified, thedirect mode enable/disable judgment unit 206 judges whether or not afield coding is performed (Step S402). When it is judged that the fieldcoding is not performed, the direct mode enable/disable unit 206instructs the motion compensation decoding unit 204 to perform decodingin the temporal direct mode (Step S403). On the other hand, when it isjudged that the field coding is performed, the direct modeenable/disable judgment unit 206 judges whether or not the motionvectors used for the current block can be estimated and generated byperforming the scaling processing (Step S404). Namely, it is to judgewhether or not the two reference pictures belong to the same frame as atop field and a bottom field which have the same display orderinformation. When the scaling processing can be performed (NO in thejudgment of the condition in Step S404), the direct mode enable/disablejudgment unit 206 instructs the motion compensation decoding unit 204 toperform decoding in the temporal direct mode (Step S403). On the otherhand, when the scaling processing cannot be performed (YES in thejudgment of the condition in Step S404), the direct mode enable/disablejudgment unit 206 instructs the motion compensation decoding unit 204 toperform decoding using a mode other than the direct mode (Step S405).

As a result of the determination described above (Step S401), even whenit is judged that the temporal direct mode is not used (namely a spatialdirect mode is selected), the direct mode enable/disable judgment unit206 judges whether or not field coding is performed (Step S406). When itis judged that the field coding is not performed, the direct modeenable/disable judgment unit 206 instructs the motion compensation unit204 to perform decoding in the spatial direct mode (Step S407).

As a result of the determination described above (Step S406), when it isjudged that the field coding is selected the direct mode enable/disablejudgment unit 205 judges whether or not the motion vectors used for thecurrent block can be estimated and generated in the spatial direct modebased on the display order information assigned for the pictures (StepS408). Namely, it is to judge whether or not respective three decodedblocks respectively including one of three pixels that are locatedclosely to the current block include a plurality of motion vectorsreferring to the decoded picture that is located in the position closestto the current picture (field) in display order and whether or not theplurality of reference pictures belong to the same frame as a top fieldand a bottom field which have the same display order information. Whenthe above conditions are satisfied, it is judged that the motion vectorscan neither be estimated nor generated.

As a result of the determination as described above (Step S408), when itis judged that the motion vectors can be estimated and generated (NO inthe judgment of the condition in Step S408), the direct modeenable/disable judgment unit 206 instructs the motion compensationdecoding unit 204 to perform decoding in the spatial direct mode (StepS407).

On the other hand, when it is judged that the motion vectors can neitherbe estimated nor generated (YES in the judgment of the conditions inStep S408), the direct mode enable/disable judgment unit 206 instructsthe motion compensation decoding unit 204 to consider a field having thesame attribute as the current block to be a field that is located in aposition closest to the current field in display order, out of the topfield and the bottom field which have the same display order information(Step S409). Here, the field having the same attribute means a top fieldwhen the current field is a top field and a bottom field when thecurrent field is a bottom field. Taking this into consideration, thedirect mode enable/disable judgment unit 206 instructs the motioncompensation decoding unit 204 to perform decoding in the spatial directmode (Step S407).

(Method 2)

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing an operation of determining a decodingmode using method 2. The processing except for the process performed inthe case in which it is judged that the field coding is selected andjudges that the scaling processing cannot be performed (Steps S501˜504,S506˜509) is abbreviated since it is the same as the one described inmethod 1.

When it is judged that the field coding is selected and the scalingprocessing cannot be performed, the direct mode enable/disable judgmentunit 206 instructs the motion compensation decoding unit 204 to performdecoding in the temporal direct mode using motion vectors indicating “0”(Step S505).

(Method 3)

FIG. 17 is flowchart showing an operation of determining a decoding modeusing method 3. The processing except for the processing performed inthe case in which it is judged that the field coding is selected andjudged that the scaling processing cannot be performed (Step S601˜S606,S608) is abbreviated since it is same as the one described in the method1.

When it is judged that the field coding is selected and the scalingprocessing cannot be performed, the direct mode enable/disable judgmentunit 206 judges whether or not the motion vectors used for the currentblock can be estimated and generated in the spatial direct mode (StepS607). The subsequent operation is as same as the one described inmethod 1.

As for the processing described above for the case in which it is judgedthat the motion vectors can neither be estimated nor generated in thespatial direct mode (Step S409, S509, S608) described in methods 1˜3above, the following processing can be performed as methods 1′˜3′. FIG.18 is a flowchart showing an operation of determining a decoding modeusing the method 1′. As for the methods 2′ and 3′, the descriptions andthe diagrams are abbreviated since they are as same as those used forthe method 1′.

(Method 1′)

The direct mode enable/disable judgment unit 206 instructs the motioncompensation decoding unit 204 to consider a field that is decoded at alater time (namely a field decoded at the earliest time after thedecoding of the current field) as a field located in a position closestto the current field in display order, out of the top field and thebottom field which have the same display order information (Step S410 inFIG. 18).

The motion compensation decoding unit 204 then generates motioncompensation image data using the decoding mode determined by the directmode enable/disable judgment unit 206. The following describes therespective operations according to the determined decoding mode.

(Normal Decoding in Temporal Direct Mode)

In this case, the motion compensation decoding unit 204 performs motioncompensation using the same method as in the temporal direct rodeexplained with reference to FIG. 2 in the Background Art. Namely, themotion compensation decoding unit 204 uses a motion vector of a blockco-locating with the current block, out of the decoded referencepictures, as a reference motion vector. Namely, the motion compensationdecoding unit 204 reads out the reference motion vector from the motionvector storage unit 205 and estimates/generates the motion vectors usedfor the current block by performing the scaling processing based on alocation relation according to display time between the reference motionvector and the pictures. The motion compensation decoding unit 204 thenperforms bi-directional prediction based on the two reference picturesusing these motion vectors and generates motion compensation image data.

(Decoding in Temporal Direct Mode Using Motion Vectors Indicating “0”)

The motion compensation decoding unit 204 does not estimate/generate themotion vectors by performing the scaling processing but generatespredictive image data by performing bi-directional prediction based onthe two reference pictures using motion vectors indicating “0”.

The value of the motion vector used here is not limited to “0” and maybe a predetermined value that can be determined without requiring thescaling processing. In the example above, it is explained that both ofthe motion vectors corresponding to the two reference pictures indicate“0”, however, the present invention not limited to this and at least oneof the motion vectors may indicate “0”.

(Decoding Using a Mode Other than Direct Mode)

The motion compensation decoding unit 204 reads out the motion vectorsused at the time of coding from the motion vector storage unit 205, andgenerates motion compensation image data by performing bi-directionalprediction based on the two reference pictures using these motionvectors. (Decoding in spatial direct mode)

The motion compensation decoding unit 204 performs motion compensationusing the same method as in the spatial direct mode explained withreference to FIG. 3 in the Background Art. Namely, the motioncompensation decoding unit 204 estimates and generates the motionvectors used for the current block, using the motion vector which hasreferred to the decoded picture that is located in a position closest tothe current picture as a motion vector of the current block out of therespective motion vectors of the three decoded blocks respectivelyincluding one of three pixels that are located closely to the currentblock.

In this case, when the respective three blocks described above include aplurality of motion vectors referring to the decoded picture that islocated in the position closest to the current picture (field) indisplay order and the plurality of the reference pictures belong to thesame frame as a top field and a bottom field which have the same displayorder information, the motion compensation decoding unit 204 considerseither of the top field and the bottom field as a field located in aposition closest to the current field in display order, based on theinstruction sent from the direct mode enable/disable judgment unit 206.

Namely, when the instruction sent from the direct mode enable/disablejudgment unit 206 is the one described in the above methods 1˜3, a fieldhaving the same attribute as the current field is considered to be thefield that is located in the position closest to the current field indisplay order, out of the top field and the bottom field which have thesame display order information. For example, in the example shown inFIG. 7, the field P2_T that is a top field as is the current field B3_T,is considered to be the field located in the position closest to thecurrent field in display order, out of the fields P2_T and P2_B whichhave the same display order information. Therefore, the motion vectorMVA1 referring to the field P2_T is determined as a candidate for thefirst motion vector of the current block.

When the instruction sent from the direct mode enable/disable judgmentunit 206 is the one described in methods 1′˜3′, a field decoded at latertime is considered to be the field located in the position closest tothe current field in display order, out of the top field and the bottomfield which have the same display order information. For example,assuming that the field P2_B is decoded later out of the fields P2_T andP2_B in the example shown in FIG. 7, the field P2_B that is decodedlater is determined as the field located in the position closest to thecurrent field in display order, out of the fields P2_T and P2_B.Consequently, the motion vector MVC1 referring to the field P2_B isdetermined as a candidate for the first motion vector MV_F of thecurrent block. The same applies to a case in which the second motionvector MV_B is obtained.

When three motion vectors are thus determined, a medium value of thethree is selected as a motion vector of the current block. When twomotion vectors are determined, an average value of the two is obtainedand regarded as a motion vector of the current block. When only onemotion vector is determined (an example shown in FIG. 7), the determinedmotion vector is considered to be a motion vector of the current block.The motion compensation decoding unit 204 performs motion compensationbased on the reference pictures and generates motion compensation imagedata, using the motion vectors thus obtained.

The motion compensation decoding unit 204 then outputs the motioncompensation image data (block) generated as above to the addition unit207. The addition unit 207 adds the motion compensation image data tothe predictive residual image data inputted from the predictive residualdecoding unit 202, generates decoded image data and stores it in thepicture memory 203.

The subsequent decoding processing for the rest of the macroblocks thepicture B11 is performed in the same processing as described above. Inthe example shown in FIG. 9B, when processing is performed for all themacro blocks in the picture B11, the decoding processing of the pictureB12 follows. The pictures thus decoded are outputted one by one from thepicture memory 203 as shown in FIG. 9A.

Thus, when the field coding is selected and the decoding mode extractedis the temporal direct mode, whether or not the scaling processing canbe performed is judged. When it is judged that the scaling processingcannot be performed, the processing such as a changing of the decodingmode is operated. Therefore, there is no such case in which the decodingcannot be performed since the scaling processing cannot be performed.

When the field coding is selected and the decoding mode extracted is thespatial direct mode, whether or not the motion vectors used for thecurrent block can be estimated and generated based on the display orderinformation assigned for the pictures is judged. When it is judged thatthe motion vectors can neither be estimated nor generated, theprocessing is performed to specify which of the top field and the bottomfield, having the same display order information, is considered as afield located in the position closest to the current field in displayorder. Therefore, there is no such case in which the motion vectors canneither be estimated nor generated.

In the present embodiment, when the picture is coded in the spatialdirect mode, the motion compensation coding unit 107 determines a motionvector, which has referred to the coded picture that is located in theposition closest to a current picture to be coded in display order, as acandidate for a motion vector of a current block to be coded, whendetermining a candidate for a motion vector of the current block out ofthe respective motion vectors of the three coded blocks respectivelyincluding one of three pixels that are located closely to the currentblock. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Forexample, when field coding is performed, the motion vector which hasreferred to the field located in the position closest to the currentfield in display order can be determined to be a candidate, out of thefields having the same attribute as the current field. In this case, acandidate is determined by prioritizing the fact that the field has thesame attribute as the current field whereas in the present embodiment,the candidate is determined based on the display order information. Thesame applies to the operation for the decoding performed by the motioncompensation decoding unit 204.

In the present embodiment, it is explained that each picture iscoded/decoded adaptively using either the frame structure or the fieldstructure. Even when the picture is coded/decoded adaptively usingeither of the on a block-by-block basis, the same processing can beperformed in the same manner as described in the present invention andthe same effects can be obtained.

In the present embodiment, it is explained that the P-picture isprocessed by referring to the pictures only forwardly in one direction,whereas the B-picture is processed by referring to the picture in twodirections both forwardly and backwardly. However the same effects canbe obtained even when the P-picture is processed by referring to thepictures backwardly in one direction and the B-picture is processed byreferring to the pictures forwardly in two directions or backwardly intwo directions.

The display order information according to the embodiment the presentinvention is not limited to an order of display and it may be an orderbased on an actual display time or a relative order of each picturebased on a predetermined picture whose value increases as the valueindicating display time increases.

(Second Embodiment)

Furthermore, the processing shown in the first embodiment can be carriedout easily in an independent computer system by recording the programfor realizing the picture coding/decoding method described in the firstembodiment onto a storage medium such as a flexible disk or the like.

FIGS. 19A˜19C are illustrations for carrying out the coding/decodingmethod described in the above embodiment in the computer system usingthe program recorded onto the storage medium such as a flexible disk orthe like.

FIG. 19B shows a full appearance of a flexible disk, its structure atcross section and the flexible disk itself whereas FIG. 19A shows anexample of a physical format of the flexible disk as a main body of astorage medium. A flexible disk FD is contained in a case F with aplurality of tracks Tr formed concentrically from the periphery to theinside on the surface of the disk, and each track is divided into 16sectors Se in the angular direction. Thus, the program is stored in anarea assigned for it on the flexible disk FD.

FIG. 19C shows a structure for recording and reading out the program onthe flexible disk FD. When the program is recorded on the flexible diskFD, the computer system Cs writes in the program via a flexible diskdrive. When the coding apparatus and the decoding apparatus areconstructed in the computer system using the program on the flexibledisk, the program is read out from the flexible disk and thentransferred to the computer system by the flexible disk drive.

The above explanation is made on an assumption that a storage medium isa flexible disk, but the same processing can also be performed using anoptical disk. In addition, the storage medium is not limited to aflexible disk and an optical disk, but any other medium such as an ICcard and a ROM cassette capable of recording a program can be used.

The following is a description for the applications of the picturecoding/decoding method illustrated in the above-mentioned embodiment anda system using them.

FIG. 20 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a contentsupply system ex100 for realizing content delivery service. The area forproviding communication service is divided into cells of desired size,and cell sites ex107˜ex110, which are fixed wireless stations, areplaced in respective cells.

This content supply system ex100 is connected to apparatuses such as acomputer ex111, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) ex112, a cameraex113, a cell phone ex114 and a cell phone with a camera ex115 via, forexample, the Internet ex101, an Internet service provider ex102, atelephone network ex104, as well as the cell sites ex107˜ex110.

However, the content supply system ex100 is not limited to theconfiguration shown in FIG. 20 and may be connected to a combination ofany of them. Also, each apparatus may be connected directly to thetelephone network ex104, not through the cell sites ex107˜ex110.

The camera ex113 is an apparatus capable of shooting video such as adigital video camera. The cell phone ex114 may be a cell phone of any ofthe following system: a PDC (Personal Digital Communications) system, aCDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) system, a W-CDMA (Wideband-CodeDivision Multiple Access) system or a GSM (Global System for MobileCommunications) system, a PHS (Personal Handyphone System) or the like.

A streaming server ex103 is connected to the camera ex113 via thetelephone network ex104 and also the cell site ex109, which realizes alive distribution or the like using the camera ex113 based on the codeddata transmitted from the user. Either of the camera ex113, the serverwhich transmits the data and the like may code the data. The movingpicture data shot by a camera ex116 may be transmitted to the streamingserver ex103 via the computer ex111. In this case, either the cameraex116 or the computer ex111 may code the moving picture data. An LSIex117 included in the computer ex111 and the camera ex116 performs thecoding processing. Software for coding and decoding pictures may beintegrated into any type of storage medium (such as a CD-ROM, a flexibledisk and a hard disk) that is a recording medium which is readable bythe computer ex111 or the like. Furthermore, a cell phone with a cameraex115 may transmit the moving picture data. This moving picture data isthe data coded by the LSI included in the cell phone ex115.

The content supply system ex100 codes contents (such as a music livevideo) shot by a user using the camera ex113, the camera ex116 or thelike in the same way as shown in the above-mentioned embodiment andtransmits them to the streaming server ex103, while the streaming serverex103 makes stream delivery of the content data to the clients at theirrequests. The clients include the computer ex111, the PDA ex112, thecamera ex113, the cell phone ex114 and so on capable of decoding theabove-mentioned coded data. In the content supply system ex100, theclients can thus receive and reproduce the coded data, and can furtherreceive, decode and reproduce the data in real time so as to realizepersonal broadcasting.

When each apparatus in this system performs coding or decoding thepicture coding apparatus or the picture decoding apparatus shown in theabove-mentioned embodiment can be used.

A cell phone will be explained as an example of such apparatus.

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing the cell phone ex115 using the picturecoding/decoding method explained in the above-mentioned embodiments. Thecell phone ex115 has an antenna ex201 for communicating with the cellsite ex110 via radio waves, a camera unit ex203 such as a CCD cameracapable of shooting moving and still pictures, a display unit ex202 suchas a liquid crystal display for displaying the data such as decodedpictures and the like shot by the camera unit ex203 or received by theantenna ex201, a body unit including a set of operation keys ex204, anaudio output unit ex208 such as a speaker for outputting audio, an audioinput unit ex205 such as a microphone for inputting audio a storagemedium ex207 for storing coded or decoded data such as data of moving orstill pictures shot by the camera, data of received e-mails and that ofmoving or still pictures, and a slot unit ex206 for attaching thestorage medium ex207 to the cell phone ex115. The storage medium ex207stores in itself a flash memory element, a kind of EEPROM (ElectricallyErasable and Programmable Read Only Memory) that is a nonvolatile memoryelectrically erasable from and rewritable to a plastic case such as anSD card.

Next the cell phone ex115 will be explained with reference to FIG. 22.In the cell phone ex115, a main control unit ex311, designed in order tocontrol overall each unit of the main body which contains the displayunit ex202 as well as the operation keys ex204 is connected mutually toa power supply circuit unit ex310, an operation input control unitex304, a picture coding unit ex312, a camera interface unit ex303, anLCD (Liquid Crystal Display) control unit ex302, a picture decoding unitex309, a multiplexing/demultiplexing unit ex308, a read/write unitex307, a modem circuit unit ex306 and an audio processing unit ex305 viaa synchronous bus ex313.

When a call end key or a power key is turned ON by a user's operation,the power supply circuit unit ex310 supplies the respective units withpower from a battery pack so as to activate the digital cell phone witha camera ex115 as a ready state.

In the cell phone ex115, the audio processing unit ex305 converts theaudio signals received by the audio input unit ex205 in conversationmode into digital audio data under the control of the main control unitex311 including a CPU, ROM and RAM, the modem circuit unit ex306performs spread spectrum processing for the digital audio data, and thecommunication circuit unit ex301 performs digital-to-analog conversionand frequency conversion for the data, as to transmit it via the antennaex201. Also, in the cell phone ex115 the communication circuit unitex301 amplifies the data received by the antenna ex201 in conversationmode and performs frequency conversion and the analog-to-digitalconversion to the data, the modem circuit unit ex306 performs inversespread spectrum processing of the data, and the audio processing unitex305 converts it into analog audio data so as to output it via theaudio output unit ex208.

Furthermore, when transmitting an e-mail in data communication mode, thetext data of the e-mail inputted by operating the operation keys ex204of the main body is sent out to the main control unit ex311 via theoperation input control unit ex304. In the main control unit ex311,after the modem circuit unit ex306 performs spread spectrum processingof the text data and the communication circuit unit ex301 performs thedigital-to-analog conversion and the frequency conversion for the textdata, the data is transmitted to the cell site ex110 via the antennaex201.

When picture data is transmitted in data communication mode, the picturedata shot by the camera unit ex203 is supplied to the picture codingunit ex312 via the camera interface unit ex303. When it is nottransmitted, it is also possible to display the picture data shot by thecamera unit ex203 directly on the display unit ex202 via the camerainterface unit ex303 and the LCD control unit ex302.

The picture coding unit ex312, which includes the picture codingapparatus as described in the present invention, compresses and codesthe picture data supplied from the camera unit ex203 using the codingmethod employed by the picture coding apparatus as shown in the firstembodiment so as to transform it into coded image data, and sends it outto the multiplexing/demultiplexing unit ex308. At this time, the cellphone ex115 sends out the audio received by the audio input unit ex205during the sheeting with the camera unit ex203 to themultiplexing/demultiplexing unit ex308 as digital audio data via theaudio processing unit ex305.

The multiplexing/demultiplexing unit ex308 multiplexes the coded imagedata supplied from the picture coding unit ex312 and the audio datasupplied from the audio processing unit ex305, using a predeterminedmethod, then the modem circuit unit ex306 performs spread spectrumprocessing of the multiplexed data obtained as a result of themultiplexing, and lastly the communication circuit unit ex301 performsdigital-to-analog conversion and frequency transform of the data for thetransmission via the antenna ex201.

As for receiving data of a moving picture file which is linked to a Webpage or the like in data communication mode, the modem circuit unitex306 performs inverse spread spectrum processing for the data receivedfrom the cell site ex110 via the antenna ex201, and sends out themultiplexed data obtained as a result of the inverse spread spectrumprocessing.

In order to decode the multiplexed data received via the antenna ex201,the multiplexing/demultiplexing unit ex308 demultiplexes the multiplexeddata into a coded stream of image data and that of audio data, andsupplies the coded image data to the picture decoding unit ex309 and theaudio data to the audio processing unit ex305, respectively via thesynchronous bus ex313.

Next, the picture decoding unit ex309, including the picture decodingapparatus as described in the present invention, decodes the codedstream of the image data using the decoding method corresponding to thecoding method as shown in the above-mentioned embodiments to generatereproduced moving picture data, and supplies this data to the displayunit ex202 via the LCD control unit ex302, and thus the image dataincluded in the moving picture file linked to a Web page, for instance,is displayed. At the same time, the audio processing unit ex305 convertsthe audio data into analog audio data, and supplies this data to theaudio output unit ex208, and thus the audio data included in the movingpicture file linked to a Web page, for instance, is reproduced.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned system sinceground-based or satellite digital broadcasting has been in the newslately and at least either the picture coding apparatus or the picturedecoding apparatus described the above-mentioned embodiment can beincorporated into a digital broadcasting system as shown in FIG. 23.More specifically, a coded stream of video information is transmittedfrom a broadcast station ex409 to or communicated with a broadcastsatellite ex410 via radio waves. Upon receipt of it, the broadcastsatellite ex410 transmits radio waves for broadcasting. Then, a home-useantenna ex406 with a satellite broadcast reception function receives theradio waves, and a television (receiver) ex401 or a set top box (STB)ex407 decodes a coded bit stream for reproduction. The picture decodingapparatus shown in the above-mentioned embodiment can be implemented inthe reproducing apparatus ex403 for reading out and decoding the codedstream recorded on a storage medium ex 402 that is a recording mediumsuch as a CD and a DVD. In this case, the reproduced moving picturesignals are displayed on a monitor ex404. It is also conceivable toimplement the picture decoding apparatus in the set top box ex407connected to a cable ex405 for a cable television or the antenna ex406for satellite and/or ground-based broadcasting so as to reproduce themon a monitor ex408 of the television ex401. The picture decodingapparatus may be incorporated into the television, not in the set topbox. Also, a car ex412 having an antenna ex411 can receive signals fromthe satellite ex410 or the cell site ex107 for replaying moving pictureon a display device such as a car navigation system ex413 set in the carex412.

Furthermore, the picture coding apparatus as shown in theabove-mentioned embodiment can code picture signals and record them onthe storage medium. As a concrete example, a recorder ex420 such as aDVD recorder for recording picture signals on a DVD disk ex421, a diskrecorder for recording them on a hard disk can be cited. They can berecorded on an SD card ex422. When the recorder ex420 includes thepicture decoding apparatus as shown in the above-mentioned embodimentthe picture signals recorded on the DVD disk ex421 or the SD card ex422can be reproduced for display on the monitor ex408.

As for the structure of the car navigation system ex413, the structurewithout the camera unit ex203, the camera interface unit ex303 and thepicture coding unit ex312, out of the components shown in FIG. 22, isconceivable. The same applies for the computer ex111, the television(receiver) ex401 and others.

In addition, three types of implementations can be conceived for aterminal such as the cell phone ex114: a sending/receiving terminalimplemented with both an encoder and a decoder, a sending terminalimplemented with an encoder only, and a receiving terminal implementedwith a decoder only.

As described above, it is possible to use the picture coding method andthe picture decoding method described in the above-mentioned embodimentfor any of the above-mentioned apparatuses and systems, and by usingthese methods, the effects described in the above-mentioned embodimentcan be obtained.

From the invention thus described it will be obvious that theembodiments of the invention may be varied in many ways. Such variationsare not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of theinvention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilledin the art are intended for inclusion within the scope of the followingclaims.

Thus, the moving picture coding method or the moving picture decodingmethod according to the present invention is applicable as a method forgenerating a bit stream by coding each picture composing a movingpicture or decoding the generated bit stream, using, for example, a cellphone, a DVD apparatus, a personal computer or the like.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A picture decoding method for decodingcoded data corresponding to a decoding target block of a decoding targetfield picture in a temporal direct mode using a motion vector of analready decoded field picture, wherein the coded data is generated bythe following steps: a motion vector obtainment step of obtaining amotion vector of a co-located block included in an already coded fieldpicture, the already coded field picture being located closely indisplay order to a coding target field picture in which a coding targetblock is included and the co-located block being co-located with thecoding target block included in the coding target field picture; ajudgment step of (1) judging that scaling of the motion vector of theco-located block cannot be performed when (i) display order informationof the already coded field picture that includes the co-located blockand (ii) display order information of a reference field picture that isreferred to by the co-located block in a coding process of theco-located block, are identical, and (2) judging that the scaling of themotion vector of the co-located block can be performed when (i) thedisplay order information of the already coded field picture thatincludes the co-located block and (ii) the display order information ofthe reference field picture that is referred to by the co-located block,are not identical, the already coded field picture and the referencefield picture belonging to the same frame as a top field and a bottomfield; a generating step of (1) generating two motion vectors of thecoding target block through the scaling when judged in said judgmentstep that the scaling can be performed because (i) the display orderinformation of the coded field picture that includes the co-locatedblock and (ii) the display order information of the reference fieldpicture that is referred to by the co-located block, are not identicaland (2) generating the two motion vectors of the current block bysetting one of the two motion vectors to be a zero value and another ofthe two motion vectors to be a predetermined value without the scalingwhen judged in said judgment step that the scaling cannot be performedbecause (i) display order information of the coded field picture thatincludes the co-located block and (ii) display order information of areference field picture that is referred to by the co-located block inthe coding process of the co-located block, are identical; and a motioncompensation step of performing motion compensation of the coding targetblock using the two motion vectors generated in said generating step,the picture decoding method comprising the steps of: obtaining a motionvector of a co-located block included in the already decoded fieldpicture, the already decoded field picture being located closely indisplay order to the decoding target field picture in which the decodingtarget block is included and the co-located block being co-located withthe decoding target block included in the decoding target field picture;(1) judging that scaling of the motion vector of the co-located blockcannot be performed when (i) display order information of the alreadydecoded field picture that includes the co-located block and (ii)display order information of a reference field picture which is referredto by the co-located block in a decoding process of the co-locatedblock, are identical, and (2) judging that the scaling of the motionvector of the co-located block can be performed when (i) the displayorder information of the already decoded field picture that includes theco-located block and (ii) the display order information of the referencefield picture that is referred to by the co-located block, are notidentical, the already decoded field picture and the reference fieldpicture belonging to the same frame as a top field and a bottom field;(1) generating two motion vectors of the decoding target block throughthe scaling when judged in said judging that the scaling can beperformed because (i) the display order information of the alreadydecoded field picture that includes the co-located block and (ii) thedisplay order information of the reference field picture that isreferred to by the co-located block, are not identical and (2)generating the two motion vectors of the decoding target block bysetting one of the two motion vectors to be a zero value and another ofthe two motion vectors to be a predetermined value without the scalingwhen judged in said judging that the scaling cannot be performed because(i) display order information of the already decoded field picture thatincludes the co-located block and (ii) display order information of areference field picture that is referred to by the co-located block inthe decoding process of the co-located block, are identical; andperforming motion compensation of the decoding target block using thetwo motion vectors generated in said generating, wherein the scaling isperformed based on a temporal location relation between the decodingtarget field picture and the already decoded field picture and thereference field picture according to the display order information.